Australian Geomagnetism Report 2007 Summary

Introduction

During 2007, Geoscience Australia operated nine geomagnetic observatories in Australia, the sub-Antarctic, and Australian Antarctic Territory. The observatories were at Kakadu and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Charters Towers in Queensland, Learmonth and Gnangara in Western Australia, Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, Macquarie Island, Tasmania, in the sub-Antarctic, and Casey and Mawson in the Australian Antarctic Territory. At Macquarie Island, Casey and Mawson observatory operations were a joint responsibility of Geoscience Australia and the Australian Antarctic Division.

The absolute magnetometers in routine service at Canberra magnetic observatory also served as the Australian reference magnetometers. The calibration of these instruments can be traced to international standards and reference instruments. Absolute magnetometers at all Australian observatories are referenced against those at Canberra through regular instrument comparisons.

Geomagnetic time-series data with a range of temporal resolutions were provided to collaborators and data repositories in Australia, Japan, France, Germany, UK and USA. K indices were scaled with computer assistance for Canberra, Gnangara and Mawson observatories. Principal magnetic storms and rapid variations were scaled for Canberra and Gnangara. Magnetic-activity data were provided to agencies in Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, UK and USA. K indices from Canberra contributed to the southern hemisphere Ks index and the global Kp, am and aa indices, and those from Gnangara contributed to the global am index.

During May and June 2007 the magnetic repeat stations at Vanimo and Kavieng, Papua New Guinea, and Noumea, New Caledonia, were re-occupied and data collected to monitor the secular variation at those stations.

The Indonesian observatories at Tangerang and Tondano were upgraded by Geoscience Australia under an AusAID grant in 2001. The project included the purchase of instrumentation and the training of staff from Indonesia’s national meteorological and geophysical organisation, Badan Meteorologi and Geofisika (BMG). Some data were received at Geoscience Australia from the Tondano observatory in 2007; however, no data were received from Tangerang observatory.

This report describes instrumentation and activities, and presents annual mean magnetic values, plots of hourly mean magnetic values and K indices, at the magnetic observatories and repeat stations operated by Geoscience Australia during the 2007 calendar year.

Download this report

• Australian Geomagnetism Report 2007 (Volume 55) [PDF: 3.5MB]